Poori and Chole masala

     Weekends are always time to cook some recipes that would otherwise not possible during weekdays. Those food stuffs that takes a bit of time to cook, and is best eaten when people are not in a hurry, are those I reserve for the weekend. Poori and Chola masala falls into that category. Bhatura is not my cup as I prefer to make small puffy pooris rather to go with Chole masala. And I do not make this often either as I see it an oily stuff and a bit unhealthy choice to be eaten often. So I make it approx once in two months kind of :D Let me jump to the recipe.

Recipe:

 Cooking Level: Intermediate
 
Ingredients:

For poori dough:

                Wheat flour  - 2 Cups for a family of four
                 Salt - As required
                 Oil - 1 tbsp or even lesser

Stuffing:

      Channa ( pigeon peas) soaked overnight or you can soak it in boiled hot water and it will be done in four hours.

       Spices: Take half a spoon of all below spices, or more if you want it spicier. Mine is "Kan alavu". So can't get accurate here.
                  Turmeric Powder
                  Red Chilli Powder
                  Corriander Powder
                  Jeera Powder
                  Chole Garam masala
                  Salt as required
 
             
      Cumin seeds
      Two medium sized onions chopped finely
      Four to five medium sized tomatoes finely chopped
      Corriander leaves finely chopped
      Four to five cashews ground with water into thin paste


Other items you will need:

             Dosa pan or non stick pan
             Dosa Spatula
             Rolling pin and wooden chakla
            

Way to go:
                 
Making the pooris:

•       Mix the wheat flour with water with a little salt. Knead them to a medium hard dough. Dough should not be too thick but it should not be loose/soft either. Should be of consistency that is easy to roll using a rolling pin.

 Note:  If you have food processor, then it is much easier to make a soft dough.

•     Divide the dough into equal portions of amla sized small balls.
•     Using the rolling pin flatten it into a circle. Keep in mind that for poori to puff up, we should not make it to thin while rolling it into circle. It should neither be too thick. With practice you will understand the right thickness. Else after two or three attempts you can arrive at it yourself.

Note: Dust the dough with wheat flour as you roll to prevent it from sticking to the wooden board or rolling pin. 

Chole Masala:

• Mix all the ingredients given in "Spices" into a small bowl. Add very little water to dissolve the spices. Keep it aside
• Pressure cook the soaked chana dhal for four whistles and allow the pressure to seize.
•  Heat oil in a kadai and crackle cumin seeds when hot.
•   Add the chopped onions and cook them in medium low heat till they turn transparent.
• You can add crushed ginger-garlic or the ginger-garlic paste at this stage, though I made it without ginger and garlic.
•  Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook them in medium low heat until tomatoes are soft and cooked well and shows no raw smell.
• Pour the spice mixture and cook for 4 to 5 mts and spices blend well and raw smell goes off.
• Now add the cooked chana to the above.
• Mix well and cook in low flame until the gravy returns to medium thick consistency
• Once done,add the ground cashew paste and cook for 2 more mts in low flame. Turn off the flame.
• Finally add the chopped corriander leaves. 
• Serve the chole masala with hot puffed pooris.